Lock for the release of erosive fluids under pressure



.Sept. 1, 1936. K. BREDTSCHNEIDER 2,052,693

LOCK FOR THE RELEASE OF EROSIVE FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE Filed Sept. 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. l, 1936. K. BRIVEDTSCHNEIDUER LOOK FOR THE RELEASE OF EROSIVE FLUIDS UNDER PRESSURE Filed Sept. 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'FIEZ Patented Sept. 1, 1936 v*LOGK FOR THE RELEASE .OF EROSIVE FLUIDS =UN-DER PRESSURE Kurt Bredtschneider, Dortmund, Germany Application "September 1, 1934, Serial No. "742.468 In Germany July 4, 1933 H Myunvention relates to a lock for the release of erosive fluids under pressure. An erosive fluid may be a liquid, a gas, or a-mixture of liquids and/or gases, in which erosive matter is suspended. Such erosive fluids are present, for instance, in high-pressure reaction systems for the hydrogenation of carbonaceous materials with nascent hydrogen, in high-pressure reservoirs of .other kinds in oil wells, etc. "The release of liquids or gases under high pressure, for instance the reduction of "the high pressure in a reaction system of theykind described from high to lower pressure presents a difficult problem the fluid is :erosive; as the closing and throttling means are rapidly worn to destruction by the erosion 'of the solidsubstances which are suspended in the fluid, vand also by chemical corrosion.

In cases of this kindit has alreadybeen suggested to use exchangeable throttling means such 20 as nozzles or perforated disks of particularly hard material. Such means, however, require frequent i exchanging notwithstanding their hardness, since ;the-free.sectional 'area soon becomes too large under the wear of the-erosive matter in thefluid, ';and the desired throttling action is not accomplished. As'such nozzles etc. are made 'of highclass materials, the first cost as well as the cost of maintenance are veryfhigh. I

It -isan object of my invention to provide a 30 ,lock of the kind described, whose throttling means ';do-;not require frequent exchanging. To. this ':end lprovide acasing whichimaybe connected to agliigh-pressure reservoir, fori'nstance to the reaction chamberre'ferred'to. In this casing, 1 arrange a tubular member'ior discharging the :duid from the casing, a .valve whose outsidediameter is substantially "equal to the inside diameter of the tubular'zmembe'rl, :and means for shifting the valve with-respectto the tubular member. .Under. normal conditions the end of the valve is..adjustediat'some distance from the b'ore'in the .tubular member soas to throttlefthe :f-ree sectional area for the discharge of the fluid from the eas- ':ing, :as required f'o'r reducing the pressure the casing down to atmosphere or to any-other lower i-pressure. As the end of the valve wears off, its

but'side diameter decreases, whiie at the same members In this manner the hie oi theme; is

greatly prolonged, as the valve and the tubular member require exchanging only after they have become completely worn. The valve and the tubular member may be made of a material of equal hardness, or of materials having different 1 5 hardness, so that the softer part wears at a faster rate.

In the drawings afifixed to this specification and forming part thereof devices embodying my invention are illustrated diagrammatically in axial section by way of-example.

In the drawings 7 Fig. 1 showsa lock with a'threaded spindle and an exchangeable valve on the spindle, V

Fig. 2 shows the-condition of this look when the 15 valve and the tubular member are worn down to some extent,

Fig, '3 shows means for rotating the valve through 'a spur gear and pinion, in order to prevent unequal wear t'here of,

Fig. 4 shows alock-in which the valve is placed "on an impeller and rotated by the flow of the liquid through the casing,

' Fig. 5 shows a lock in which'the valve is adjusted automatically under the, influence of the pressure in a pipe connecting the casing to a supply of fluid under pressure, I

Fig. 6 shows a lock in which the; valve is adjuste' automatically under the influence oflthe cutflowing fluid, and

I Fig. 7 shows a lock in which the valveis'adiusted automatically by the pressure gradient at .opposite sides of a choke disk in the outflowpipe of the casing. Referring now to the drawings, and first to 35 Figs. 1 and 12, the casing I. of the lock is equipped with 'an'inletfpipe 2 for connecting it to asupp'ly of liquid or gas under pressure (not shown) i. 3 is aftu'bularmember which is inserted in the open "lower end of the casing I and is provided with a 140 shoulder 4 bearing on the lower end of the caslet pipe on the flange'fi. The upper end of the casing .I has a central bore in which is inserted a spin'd'le 8 with a detachable valve 9 at its .lower end. Th'espindle '8 and the valve 19 are connected *by athreadedpin 10 on "the lower end of the "spindle-or may be connected ,by other suitable means. The outside diameter of the valve 9jis equal, or substantially equal, to the inside {diameter orbore of the tubular member arranged on the casing l at its upper end for preventing-leakageof the'liquid'or gasaiong the casing l by screws I5.

greater or lesser extent in the manner described until the lower end of the valve 9 enters the bore of the tubular member 3, whereupon the outfiow is stopped or reduced to a minimum, as the outside diameter of the valve is substantially equal of the bore in the tubular to the inside diameter member 3. The erosion of the tubular member 3 .andof the valve 9 by the liquid causes a gradual widening 10fv the bore, as shown at .3ain Fig. 2, and a grad- .ual reduction of the outside diameterof the valve .9, as shownv at 9a, butthe lock can still be operated until the tubular, member 3, or the valve, or both, has become worn throughoutv its length. That part which has become worn so as to render it inoperative, is exchanged.

, The valve 9 .turns, as the spindle 8 is turned by its handyvheel 1 6, but this turning is only slight and ceaseswhenthe valve is in one of its final positions, and so thevalvemay be fluted locally by erosion. Such local wear is prevented by rotatingthe valve, aswill now be described.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the valve spindle 8 is provided P and arranged as described with reference to Fig. 1, b ut it is not threaded attits upper 'end and the. handwheel l6 and the nut l4 are dispensed with, Instead, a threaded spindle I! is inserted in a threaded bore. of a bracket H! which may be cast integral with thelcasing l, and a hand wheel I9 is secured on the lower end of the spindle. The upper end of the spindle is free to turn in a yoke 20 which is a ac ed to the upper end of spindle 9. Splined on the spindle 8 at His a spur gear 22 with which meshes a piniion 2 3 on a shaft 24.

When the shaft ZG'isrotated'iby any suitable means, (not shownlthe spur gear 22 is rotated at a "'slower rate and the spindle '8 on whichfit is splined, isturned at thesame rate. Obviously,

means (not shown) ,must-beprovided for holding th'e'sp i' i" gear 22 "and the pinion 23 against axial displacement whilethespindle 8 is shifted. By

"the rotation of the :valve' 9, unequal wear of the valve by erosionis prevented. V v Theflowofthe liquid or gas may beutilized for rotating the valve 9, as will now be described with reference to Fig. '4. The spindle8 is'threaded at l3'fand engageslin the nut 14, as described vwith reference to Figs. '1 and 2,1 but the loWer'end of'the spindle is. equipped with 'a collar 25 on which. is seated the boss ofan impeller 26. 21 is 7 fan antifriction bearing between the collar and the boss, and28 is a stufiing box on the impeller for preventing access of liquid or gas to' theanti- .9' is secured to hf. v T

' Under certain conditions, and particularly if it the impeller and. partakes in its is desirable to keep upa definite pressure inthe reaction vessel or, the like to which the casing I is e gs t by P e A Whsmi el son the attesand 43; respectively.

tion and care of an operator, automatic means may be provided for regulating the free sectional area for the liquid or gas, and such means will now be described with reference to Figs. 5, 6, and

7; in these figures the spindle is shown as integral with the valve, i. e., only the spindle 8 is provided and its lower end replaces the separate valve 9. It is understood, however, that a separate valve face of the piston 3!. A bracketl33 is secured to the upper end of cylinder 32 and a spring 34 is placed about ther'piston' rod 30 and bears ona disk 35 on therod 30 with its lower endjwhile its that the pressure in the pipeacts on the lower V upper end is supported by the'upper end of Ibracket 33. It will be understood that the movement of the spindle 8 with respect to the bore of the tubular member 3 is a function of the pressure in the inlet'pipe 2 and of the pressure of the" spring 34.

In the examples illustrated in Figs. 6 and '7, the cylinder 32 is closed at both ends and connected to the casing -l by-a bracket'36. Obviously, the 7 cylinder 32, the casing l; and the bracket 36 might'be cast as a single unit. 31 is a pipe which is'connectedto the space above, and 38 is a pipe which is connected to the space below, the piston 3|. i The two pipes are connected to the upperrelay may be electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic, and, in the example illustrated in Fig. 6, is connected pipe 40.

to the discharge pipe I by a r and lower ends of a relay in a. casing 39. The

Referringto Fig. i 7 the arrangement is similar to the one described with reference to Fig. 6 but a choke disk 4| is inserted in the discharge pipe Land the spaces upstream and downstream of the disk are connected to the relay 39 by pipes 42 The relay 39, as mentioned,

may be of any suitableikind; For instance, the pressure from pipe 5.40; Fig. 6, or lthedifferentialpress'ures from pipes Aland 43, Figi'Lmay control a piston such as 3| which, through. suitable ;valves, regulates I the admissionlof liquid .or gas to the pipes 31 and 38, "or the 'relaymay. beequipped with electrical or iothermeans for regulating the pipes 31'and 38. Iam not limited. to. the' operation of the spindle 8, with .orwithout 'the detachable valve 9, through :imechanical means, such as the spindle H in Fig. 3, or through pneumatic or hydraulicmeans, such' as the piston 31, Figs.'5,*6, and 7, but .the spindle '.may.be. reciprocated; with or vrithoutzbein'g ro- :.tated, by electrical. or magnetic ,means. Thus, the piston rod-30 maybe reciprocated byan elecftromagnet or a solenoid, or by an electric motor I 1throughsuitable reduction gearing. .It is under- :stood thatIam not limited to' any particular means for; rotating the spindle Biorits valve .9. 1 and for reciprocating the spindleor the valve, as the casemay be.

In the initial position of a valve 9 ora'spindle 8 whose lower end acts as the-valve, and which is ,not worn, .as-shownforthe valve 9 in Fig. 1, the ;lower end of the valve is clearof the bore in the y-tubular member 3. The fluidwhose prcssure is .toba elieve andw ic isadmitted to, the casing through pipe 2 from. say, a reaction chamber of the kind referred to, (not shown), is throttled to a greater or lesser extent by adjusting the spindle 8 so that the end of the valve 9 moves nearer to, or further away from, the upper end of the tubular member 3. When the valve and the tubular member wear at 9a and 3a, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2, the valve is lowered into the tubular member until the desired throttling action has been reestablished, and this is repeated until the parts have become worn throughout.

By the means illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the valve is rotated permanently and not only while it is adjusted, as in Figs. 1 and 2. The valve is rotated during its operation while above, or within, the tubular member 3. Any other means than those illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 may be used for rotating the valve 9, or the spindle 8.

In the lock illustrated in Fig. 5, the valve is regulated under the influence of the pressure ahead of the tubular member 3. This may be effected by other means than those illustrated in Fig. 5, for instance by means operated by viscous liquid (oil), or by a relay as shown for another kind of lock in Figs. 6 and 7.

In these figures, the valve is regulated automatically by the pressure at the rear of the tubular member 3. In both cases, it is also possible to regulate the valve automatically by the quantities of fluid supplied to, or discharged from, the casing I. This may be effected by any suitable means, such as the relays 39. The lock illustrated in Fig. 6 is particularly suitable for regulating the valve in conformity with the pressures, while the lock illustrated in Fig. 7 is suitable for regulation by quantities.

The automatic means described make up for the wear of the valve and the tubular member, and always produce the required throttling action. The fluid may also flow in opposite direction, from pipe 1 to pipe 2, without departing from my invention, and the operation is similar to the one sure in combination, a valve casing formed with an inflow and an outflow port, a sleeve-shaped lining with a cylindrical bore forming the valve seat extending into one of said ports and held therein for ready exchange, a cylindrical rod forming the valve body in line with and fitting into the bore of said sleeve and means; to which said rod is fitted for ready exchange, for axially adjusting said valve body towards and away from the bore in said sleeve.

2. In a valve for erosive fluids under high pressure in combination, a valve casing formed with an inflow and an outflow port, a sleeve-shaped lining with a cylindrical bore forming the valve seat extending into one of said ports and held therein for ready exchange, a cylindrical rod forming the valve body in line with and fitting into the bore of said sleeve, and means, to which said rod is fitted for ready exchange, for axially adjusting said valve body towards and away from the bore in said sleeve, and arranged to be operated by the fluid traversing the valve.

3. In a valve for erosive fluids under high pressure in combination, a valve casing formed with an inflow and an outflow port, a sleeve with a cylindrical bore extending into one of said ports and held therein for ready exchange, a cylindrical valve body in said casing in line with and fitting into the bore of said sleeve and means comprising an impeller, to which said valve body is fitted for ready exchange, for axially adjusting said valve body towards and away from the bore in said sleeve.

4. In a valve for erosive fluids under high pressure in combination, a valve casing formed with an inflow and an outflow port, a sleeve-shaped lining with a cylindrical bore forming the valve seat extending into one of said ports and held therein for ready exchange, a cylindrical rod forming the valve body in line with and fitting into the bore of said sleeve, and means comprising a piston, to which said rod is fitted for ready exchange, a cylinder surrounding said piston and liquid connections between the inflow side of said casing and said cylinder on either side of said piston, for axially adjusting said valve body towards and away from the bore in said sleeve.

KURT BREDTSCHNEIDER. 

